Friday, May 27, 2011

Wow - thanks to all five people who responded to my last post. You all encouraged me to think and I DO intend to respond. Please watch this space.

In the meantime - we have bought an ipad for Manaia Kindergarten. I picked it up on Friday and am currently setting it up. I continue to advocate that technology - including the ipad - should be integrated into the kindergarten curriculum and not a 'study' on its own. I also believe that technology should help us to teach differently. In one comment from my latest post, it was suggested that 'real' flashcards provide the tactile real experience for young children. Well - I'm not really an advocate for flashcards be they 'real' or virtual. I believe in using experiences and opportunities, interests and strengths, to teach children about real life problem solving techniques, skills and knowledge.

My most FAVOURITE app for young children - Skyview
With the Skyview camera open, and capturing images of the environment around you - it also graphically shows you the placements of the planets, sun and star constellations, satelites, hubble telescope, and international spacestation. What amazing conversations this should encourage? What vastly different learning journey's this single app could take us on? (I will hopefully keep you up-dated). Information about each are recorded at the bottom of the screen and when you touch a planet, you are shown its trajectory. Children - even on cloudy days - can watch the rise and set of the sun and moon. For NZers - we can watch Matariki (pleiades) rise above the horizon - even though it is first viewable at a time when our Kindergarten children are fast asleep. They will be able to watch it on the ipad with their friends.

I look forward to sharing other inspirational,interactive, real learning opportunities that the ipad will offer the children at Manaia Kindergarten. If you have any apps that fit our purpose - please share in the comments below.
See other iPad experiences @ Manaia KindergarteniPad Apps @ Manaia

3 comments:

How exciting for the children at Manaia Kindergarten! We are still waiting for a grant to purchase ours - hopefully it won't be too far away. I look forward to being able to share suitable apps and the wonderful ways the children will find to use it with you when we manage to get ours. Enjoy!!!Margaret

Skyview sounds like a fascinating application. I couldn't agree more with you that using an iPad (as with any tool) should be integrated into the program. I haven't yet considered purchasing a tablet because I haven't found ample apps that fit the bill. I think developers need to team up with more early years educators in creating suitable apps for young children. There is so much potential for this to happen!

@Bernadette - I guess in using the iPad while still in its beginning stages, we can explore how best it works for young children and help to shape its direction. As you say - encouraging app developers to work with education. OR even better encouraging educators to write their own apps. Something I would love to be involved in.

Beverly Kaye

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This blog focuses on issues relating to children and teachers using ICT in education. I am a teacher at Manaia Kindergarten. We are part of the New Zealand Ministry of Education's CORE Education ECE ICT Professional Learning Programme. As a result of this programme I am specifically interested in the use of Information and Communication Technology to enhance children's learning and development. Our research question for the project focuses on building links between the Kindergarten and our wider community and how theses links benefit children. This blog is about my personal professional reflections and broader topics will be investigated from time to time as I advocate for the well being and empowerment of all children, and the upskilling of teachers in the implementation of ICT in education.